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Signs & Symptoms of Major Depression

Depression is a very common condition in today's world. It's an illness that affects the mind and the body and can play a major role in how a person functions throughout the day. Major depression can be brought on by a variety of circumstances. These can include a job loss, marriage problems, financial concerns and a death of a family member or friend. Signs of major depression vary from one person to another.

  1. Feeling Hopeless

    • Feeling hopeless is a sign of major depression. Hopelessness is when a person has very little expectations for the future, everything seems bleak and there is no solution for an occurring problem or issue. They may feel no need to move forward in their life or to even make things better. Depression may cause the person to fear asking for help and can sometimes take them further into a depressed state and cause the despair to deepen and somehow worsen.

    Crying

    • Crying for no reason at all can be a sign of major depression. One moment the person may be fine, the next they are crying and have no idea why and what brought the tears on. It can happen day or night, at work, school and even at home. Crying may occur when the person is alone or even around family and friends. It can be debilitating and frustrating to both the person suffering from depression and those around them who suffer from not knowing what to do to help.

    Irritability

    • A person with major depression may have trouble focusing or may show signs of increased irritability and just can not seem to function in a normal everyday setting. Simple tasks such as balancing a checkbook, grocery shopping or even concentrating at work become harder to do and eventually the person's patience wears thin. They may over react, become moody more often and can often lash out with unkind words and comments that they instantly regret.

    Fatigue

    • Fatigue is often a sign of major depression. The person is tired, wants to sleep all the time and has no energy to complete the simplest of tasks. They may wake up only to go back to bed in hope of gaining more sleep so they can function throughout the day. People with major depression may stay in the bed for days, not caring about anything other than closing their eyes and getting more sleep.

    Suicidal Thoughts

    • Suicidal thoughts and an attempted suicide is a sign that someone is suffering from major depression. Depression can alter the mind and the person may feel that suicide is the only way out. Sometimes the person will write a note, create a new will or suddenly become happier in the months before a planned suicide. The mood change may be the result of finally knowing the sadness is coming to an end. Immediate help should be sought if a person experiences suicidal thoughts or tendencies.

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